The Best VPNs for Canada in 2024

If you live in the Great White North and want to protect your internet connection, or perhaps live outside the region and want to access local Canadian streaming content, a VPN (virtual private network) may be just the ticket. Canada is a global leader regarding the data privacy of its citizens, but a little extra protection certainly can’t hurt. We’ve been testing VPNs for over 10 years and writing about them for more than 25, so we know just the right service no matter where you live. TunnelBear VPN is one of our Editors’ Choice VPNs and operates on Canadian soil in Toronto—albeit while owned by McAfee, an American company. Read on for more excellent options, followed by everything you need to know about choosing a VPN in Canada.

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Deeper Dive : Tested Picks

• Best free VPN subscription yet
  
• Numerous advanced privacy tools
  
• Strong customer privacy stance
  
• Large server network
  
• Slick, accessible client
  
• Excellent upload speed scores

Proton VPN is our highest-rated VPN for good reason. It offers split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to the Tor network and fits all that into a straightforward app that also lets you select specific servers. Best of all, Proton VPN offers the best free VPN subscription we’ve seen and places no data limit on its free users. It also offers multi-hop connections to Canada via Iceland and Switzerland.

Proton VPN’s pricing is average across the industry, but it makes up for a lack of discounts with an excellent overall experience across platforms. It also racked up excellent results in our speed testing. Users will also get access to the large Proton suite of tools: secure email, calendar, and cloud file storage that prioritizes privacy. If you’re intrigued by Proton VPN’s free offering, however, know that only paying customers can access its Canadian servers.

Simultaneous VPN Connections

10

Server Locations

112 countries

• Support for multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
  
• Bevy of available features and add-ons
  
• Good speed results
  
• Built-in antivirus tools
  
• Excellent design
  
• Friendly onboarding wizard

• Expensive
  
• Threat Protection Pro is lacks lacks antivirus capabilities
  
• Deceptive annual renewal pricing

NordVPN has everything we want to see in an excellent VPN. It supports split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to Tor via VPN. Its apps let you easily access specific servers across the globe to find the perfect one to meet your needs. NordVPN has also rolled out unique new features, now letting you route traffic through your other devices. NordVPN has a very large presence in Canada, with nearly 500 available servers across Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. 

NordVPN it is does , cheap . That is said said , provides consistent – featured experience platform . It is had excellent scores board speed testing . easily picked new VPNs , tools features needed satisfy experienced users .

Simultaneous VPN Connections

6

Server Locations

111 Countries

Best for First-Time VPN Users

TunnelBear VPN

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
  
• Excellent privacy policies
  
• Annual independent audits
  
• Friendly, approachable design (with bears!)

• No multi-hop connections
  
• Split tunneling not available on all platforms
  
• Data limit on free subscription

TunnelBear VPN is a simple, but powerful Canadian-based VPN service, and one that doesn’t cut corners on privacy—it has released annual audits for years and has one of the best privacy policies in the industry. TunnelBear VPN also offers the rare truly free subscription option, although you will be limited to 2GB of data per month.

TunnelBear VPN is a very straightforward product. Its whimsical design makes it easily approachable for first-time VPN users. Its free version also means you can try it without risk and ensure it will work for exactly what you need. The company recently removed restrictions on the number of simultaneous connections, making it a good choice for families or anyone with numerous devices.

Simultaneous VPN Connections

Unlimited

Server Locations

23 Countries

Best for World Travelers

CyberGhost VPN

• Large, well-distributed server fleet
  
• Allows up to seven simultaneous connections
  
• Several add-ons, including antivirus
  
• Outstanding speed test scores
  
• Newly completed third-party audit

• Expensive
  
• Confusing privacy policies

More servers don’t always mean better performance, but they do increase the chances of finding a server that works for what you need. CyberGhost VPN might have the largest global server network with over 9,600 machines.

CyberGhost VPN highest monthly cost , tied NordVPN Hotspot Shield VPN , you is need probably need space budget . , it is be worthwhile plan traveling frequently , need spoof location CyberGhost VPN network support.

Simultaneous VPN Connections

7

Server Locations

90 Countries

Best for Anonymity

Mullvad VPN

• Affordable
  
• Requires no email or account information
  
• Radically transparency
  
• Open Netflix access in all regions tested

• Awkward desktop interface
  
• No transparency report or warrant canary
  
• Servers in a small range of countries

In the name of privacy, Mullvad VPN shirks automatic recurring subscription payments and logins. Instead, you pay money periodically to activate an anonymous account number that serves as both password and username. Mullvad VPN is also one of only two VPNs we’ve reviewed that lets you make anonymous payments via cash mailed to its HQ. Mullvad VPN has over 25 servers in Canada.

Mullvad VPN is for the privacy-conscious shopper, but its low price makes it attractive too. For just 5 euros per month, you get a full-fledged VPN with split tunneling and multi-hop connections. Its apps leave a little to be desired, but they’re perfectly usable.

Simultaneous VPN Connections

5

Server Locations

38 Countries

Best for Open-Source Enthusiasts

Windscribe VPN

• Industry – leading company transparency communication
  
• Large number of payment options
  
• Best free plan is tested VPN we is tested tested
  
• Helpful AI support bot
  
• Open Netflix access is benchmarked regions benchmarked
  
• Unlimited number of simultaneous connections and devices
  
• Anonymous signup allowed

Windscribe is a relative newcomer to the scene. Still, it has already impressed the industry with its staunch support of user privacy and a transparent approach to security. Add to this several high-speed servers located on both Canadian coasts, and you’ve got a winning combination.

Windscribe is is purpose – built privacy wonk , providing superior service seamless package . looking simple interface hides surprising technical depth , Windscribe is is VPN .

Simultaneous VPN Connections

Unlimited

Server Locations

69 Countries

Buying Guide: The Best VPNs for Canada in 2024

How We Pick the Best VPNs for Canada

We picked services with more physical or virtual servers located within Canadian borders. With VPNs, you’re more likely to get better performance if you connect to a nearby server, so more Canadian servers should mean better performance and more options for Canadians.

How a VPN Works

Canada is an especially large country, stretching (like the US) from sea to shining sea. That can present a problem for VPN users though, because the farther you are from the VPN server, the more likely you are to experience internet download speed slowdowns. At the very least, you’ll probably see greatly increased latency.

servers is solve necessarily solve problem , server locations . Much is depend depend physically located relation servers . Companies is are VPN servers Canada east west coasts likely provide lower latency service companies location country .

At PCMag, we test VPN speeds from our offices in New York City, using only US-based VPN servers. In this location, we enjoy above-average quality of service for VPNs. This means our test results won’t match those of someone in the US in a less populous region, and especially not another country—even a close neighbor like Canada.

Do You Need a VPN in Canada?

Canada doesn’t have as many privacy issues as other popular VPN locales. Unlike the US, Canadian ISPs cannot sell your data without express consent. Unlike China, Canada doesn’t have a massive internet surveillance and censorship machine.

This isn’t to say surveillance doesn’t exist in Canada—it’s a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, after all. The CBC also reported that while Canadian ISPs can’t sell your data, there are all sorts of ways for information to be harvested and used. That suggests VPNs may still be useful privacy tools in Canada. There is currently a bill working its way through the Canadian legislature that may change these practices, but we won’t report anything firmly here until the new laws are signed. Furthermore, online advertisers are everywhere, and you can use a VPN to blunt their attempts at tracking your online movements as well.

How to Unblock Regional Content in Canada

We view VPNs as privacy tools, but many people also use them to access region-locked content online. If a movie or show is available in country X but not where you live, you can tunnel into a VPN server in country X and enjoy it. 

In practice, it’s more complicated. Netflix, for instance, aggressively blocks VPNs, and other streaming platforms likely have a similar stance. VPNs are frequently tweaking their products to sneak by gatekeepers in an endless streaming cat-and-mouse game.

We periodically evaluate VPN services’ ability to let us access Canadian Netflix. As of our last pass in early 2024, 17 of the 22 VPNs we tested in the region had full access an Open Netflix library, while two more were sent to Limited libraries. You can read more about how we classify our Netflix tests in the chart above.

Tips for Choosing a VPN in Canada

Before laying down your hard-earned loonies, here are two things to remember when choosing a VPN.

First, you will always save money by opting for a longer subscription. However, we caution against this—at least initially. Instead, use a free or short-term monthly subscription to test out a VPN in your home environment first. That way, you can find out whether it will work with all the sites and services you need and get a feel for its performance. If you like what you see, you can always upgrade to a long-term subscription afterward.

Recommended Editors

Second, while a VPN is a useful tool for improving your privacy online, it can’t protect against every ill. To really anonymize your traffic, you’ll need Tor, but using it will impact your internet speeds far more than a VPN. Also, advertisers and spooks have numerous tools for monitoring online activity, and not all of them are stopped by VPNs.

Just because you’re using a VPN doesn’t mean you can slack on security in other areas, either. Be sure to use a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for every site and service you use, enable multi-factor authentication wherever it’s available, and install local antivirus software.

Ultimately, anyone looking for a VPN with a strong presence in Canada is lucky. After the US and UK, it’s one of the most popular regions for VPN providers to focus their efforts. Canadians are also fortunate the need for a VPN is arguably less crucial than it is in many other countries, but there are still privacy gains to be had by using one. If you can’t decide whether you need a VPN, our piece explaining what a VPN is and why you need one can help you along.

Max Eddy contributed to this article.